Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has announced that its flagship women’s empowerment program, Qodwa.Tech, has trained over 43,000 women and girls since its launch in 2019. The milestone was revealed during the sixth edition of the “Future of Women’s Empowerment in the Age of Digital Transformation” event, held under the theme “Integrated Building for Sustainable Entrepreneurship.” The initiative is a core component of the ministry’s strategy to build a more inclusive digital economy and support female-led entrepreneurship across the country.
Quick Facts
- Over 43,270 women and girls trained since 2019.
- Focus on AI, e-commerce, and digital marketing skills.
- New digital business incubator launched with UNDP and GABCO.
A Sustainable Model for Digital Inclusion
During the event, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Raafat Hindy, emphasized that digitally empowering women is a key pillar of Egypt’s national development goals. He explained that the MCIT’s vision for a “Digital Egypt” relies on investing in digital skills across all governorates to provide real opportunities for youth and women to participate in the digital economy.
Hindy highlighted that the Qodwa.Tech initiative offers a comprehensive model for digital, economic, and social empowerment. The program equips women with in-demand skills in e-commerce, digital marketing, freelancing, and financial inclusion. It also focuses on leveraging AI applications to help them develop their projects. The minister pointed to the initiative’s sustainable, peer-to-peer approach, where trained women transfer their knowledge to others, expanding the program’s impact within families and local communities.
Strategic Partnerships Fueling Growth
The success and expansion of Qodwa.Tech have been bolstered by key collaborations. Minister Hindy praised the partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), stressing that building an inclusive digital society requires integrated efforts between government, the private sector, and international institutions.
Chitosi Noguchi, UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt, affirmed that Qodwa.Tech has become a leading national platform for digital inclusion and women’s empowerment. “The initiative provided specialized training programs in digital skills, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence, which contributed to strengthening economic empowerment opportunities for women and increasing their ability to manage their projects and expand in digital markets,” she stated.
A significant new development announced at the event was the launch of the “Digital Business Incubator for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women.” This new project is a collaboration between the MCIT, the UNDP, and the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GABCO). According to Dr. Hala Al-Sadiq, Head of the Central Department for Digital Community Development, the incubator will support female founders and artisans with specialized programs, technical support, and connections to markets and investors.
Measuring Impact: From Training to Entrepreneurship
Engineer Hoda Dahroug, Advisor to the Minister for Digital Community Development, presented the initiative’s key achievements. Since its inception, Qodwa.Tech has successfully trained 43,270 women and girls, raised digital awareness for nearly 19,700 others, and qualified over 70 “Knowledge Pioneers” to lead training efforts across the country.
Dahroug added that the initiative has been instrumental in supporting heritage crafts and small businesses by integrating modern technology and AI tools into their marketing, production, and e-commerce operations. This tech integration is helping female entrepreneurs access wider markets and achieve sustainable growth for their businesses. The event concluded with an awards ceremony honoring successful beneficiaries of the program and key partners who have supported its mission.
About Qodwa.Tech
Qodwa.Tech is an initiative by Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology designed for the digital, economic, and social empowerment of women. Launched in 2019, it provides training in technology, e-commerce, digital marketing, freelancing, and AI to help women participate in the digital economy and scale their businesses. The program operates on a sustainable knowledge-transfer model and partners with international and private sector organizations to expand its reach and impact.
Source: Fintech Gate
